Wheels Archives - Page 77 of 134

Bridgestone Take Advertising Centre Stage at Super Bowl

Often dubbed “advertising’s biggest stage,” Super Bowl XLIII viewers on 1 February will see two new adverts by Bridgestone, broadcast alongside the NBC network’s coverage of the biggest event in American Football. The famous Halftime Show will also be sponsored by the manufacturer; an honour indeed since Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be trading in their wings on some – presumably Bridgestone-shod – wheels for the event.

Two 30-second commercials named “Taters” and “Hot Item” will be aired at the end of the first and during the third quarter. The ads’ production team have aimed at creating fun, memorable commercials that emphasise the performance of Bridgestone tyres. The first features Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head – two of toy giant Hasbro’s most beloved characters – making their Super Bowl debut when their excursion on a picturesque mountain road takes an unexpected turn. The second spot takes viewers to Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, on which two music-loving space travellers cruise around in a space vehicle equipped with high-performance Bridgestone tyres.

27th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Lunar Wheel Shown Off During Obama Inauguration Parade

Product News

Barack Obama may have travelled on Goodyear truck tyres to his January 20 inauguration, but competitor Michelin was by no means left out in the cold during the day’s festivities. The manufacturer reports that NASA astronauts piloted their latest generation moon vehicle, the Small Pressurized Lunar Rover, in the Washington D.C. inaugural parade. The lunar rover rode from the US Capitol to the White House upon a specially engineered Michelin Tweel assembly.

“Michelin and NASA have a long history of successful collaboration. For more than 20 years, Michelin has supplied tyres for the space shuttle. Over the past three years, we have also worked with NASA to develop a revolutionary tire/wheel assembly for the next generation of lunar rovers,” said David Stafford, chief operating officer of Michelin Americas Research Company. “We are pleased that NASA, one of the world’s most demanding customers, has selected Michelin to accompany them as millions see this amazing vehicle showcased for the first time.”

21st January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Announces New Nissan OE Fitment

Product News

Yokohama has announced that the latest model to use its tyres as original equipment will be the new Nissan 370Z, the successor to the popular 350Z. The model will be fitted with the ADVAN Sport tyre and, having already gone on sale in the Japanese domestic market, will be rolled out globally during 2009.

Another car to use ADVAN tyres will be the Tesla Roadster, the world’s first electric sports car, to provide a combination of performance and safety on what Yokohama says is “one of the most innovative new vehicles for a long time.”

20th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Winter Driving Advice from Micheldever

Product News

You’ve probably already noticed that our mornings have been a bit nippy of late. The start to the winter was in fact, reports Micheldever Tyre Services, the coldest for three decades. A number of counties have been hit with snow, with the balance experiencing very low temperatures – the sort ideal for the build up of ice upon roads. Driving in these conditions places more emphasis on a vehicle’s tyres, and Micheldever offers the following advice to help keep control in difficult driving conditions:

19th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

JMS Releases 2009 Rim Catalogue

Product News

In time for the new season, JMS has released its new 2009 alloy rim catalogue. Featuring 80 pages and more than 300 rim designs, the new JMS catalogue is one of the largest on the market, and includes the following brands: ASA, Barracuda, break, Carmani, Corniche, DBV, DZ, Etabgeta, Frankenräder, FSW, Keskin, Kerscher, MAM, Oxigin, OZ, pro LINE, RC, Schmidt, Smoor, Tomason and US-Alloy. All wheels are either available as vehicle type or TÜV approved. Stud patterns are also listed along with each rim design, making matching a rim with a particular vehicle a fast process. More information can be found from the JMS website racelook.de or by e-mail at info@racelook.de

13th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Topy Lays Off 45 at US Steel Wheel Factory

Product News

Kentucky, US based newspaper The State Journal reports that Topy America has laid of 45 hourly employees from its Franklin County steel wheel production facility. These redundancies represent approximately 16 per cent of the subsidiary’s Kentucky factory workforce. The company’s other US operations have not been affected.

According to plant director Tom Trzazkus, the layoffs were necessary “due to the current economic conditions and the slowing of sales within the automotive industry.” In addition to the redundancies, a raft of other changes were made “to ensure the continuation of this business in the short term,” a press release sent to the newspaper by Trzazkus said.

13th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Expect More Alcoa Forged Passenger Wheel OE Deals in 2009

Product News

Aluminium giant Alcoa has been producing premium forged commercial vehicle wheels for a decade now. And despite some new manufacturers recently joining the forged wheel scene in the Far East, the company remains an undisputed market leader in its field. Now, following the news that Alcoa is to close its last remaining cast aluminium wheel factory (in Beloit, Wisconsin, USA), it is not surprising to learn that this part of the business is now focusing on transferring its forged wheel technology to the passenger car OE market.

In an interview conducted at the tail end of 2008 David Yates (marketing manager, Europe, Alcoa Wheel Products – Forged Speciality Wheels) and Brian Thomas (marketing communications, Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products) explained that after a 24-month long passenger car OE “testing cycle” the first production car to fit its forged wheels was a Shelby tuned version of the Ford Mustang model in the states.

13th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Vogue Tyre Goes ‘Presidential’

Product News

The Illinois, US based Vogue Tyre and Rubber Company says it is proud to team up with the new Jaguar XF to mark the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. The company has fitted the Jag, which will be used in Presidential inaugural events, with a set of newly released 20-inch white/gold tyres and wheels.

12th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Europa Tyres Becomes UK OTR Brand Distributor

Product News

Europa Tyres has announced that as of 1 January, 2009 that it has become the UK’s (except NI) Official Master Distributor for the OTR brand of tyres.

OTR was set up in 1987 by Fred Taylor in Rome Georgia, where it began to manufacture and distribute wheels and tyres to the Southeast of America. In 1995, the organisation set up another new company called Blackstone, which specialised in the aerial lift industry. Since then, it has expanded with nine new facilities opening worldwide. The manufacturer hopes to become fully world integrated over the next few years, with a programme of investment continuing.

12th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Soopa Toobs Aiming to Fill the Information Gap

Product News

Soopa Toobs, founded in May 1983 and based at its original home in Colliers End, near Ware in Hertfordshire, has restated its desire to “fill the information gap” it perceieves in the agricultural tyre market. The company holds a large range of stock, including tyres from American market leader Carlisle and European stalwart Trelle¬borg, alongside brands such as Bridgestone, Goodyear and Dunlop. In addition, Soopa Toobs says that it stocks the largest range of high-quality inner tubes for implements, tractors, ATVs and more. It is the UK’s exclusive dealer in Carlisle inner tubes, featuring many unusual size fitments.

With this range, Soopa Toobs believes it is well-placed to offer the right tyres for the many specialised jobs taken on by farmers, estate managers, landscapers and groundsmen. The broad range of specialist vehicles and implements at these people’s disposal – enabling them to carry out their work more quickly and more efficiently – are, especially in the current tough economic times, required to perform to the highest possible specification, meaning that these machines’ special wheels require not only an equally varied range of specialist tyres and inner tubes, but also the ability to select the right tool for the job. While a range of factors naturally affect the purchasing decision, the specialist advice Soopa Toobs is able to offer allows the user to choose wisely, rather than solely on the initial purchase price. Utility Vehicles (UTVs) use different tyres to All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and the correct choice of tyre is often as important as the original choice of machine. Soopa Toobs remembers that not too long ago the main choice for pulling anything along was between a tractor and a Land Rover, but the reality of today’s higher technology agricultural market means that a greater awareness of the requirements of vehicles like the John Deere Gator and the Kawasaki Mule is necessary.

12th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Presidential limo rides on Goodyear truck tyres

International News, News, Product News

President elect Barack Obama’s brand spanking new presidential limousine has been given the ‘Pimp My Ride’ treatment by the US Secret Service – and a set of tyres normally seen in regional haul trucking applications is but one of a basket of features to be found on the modified Cadillac following a masterful makeover by the White House appointed customisers.

Despite campaign promises to transform all White House vehicles into hybrids and have a million hybrid vehicles on US roads by 2015, the President-elect has had to concede to security concerns and stick with the petrol powered Cadillac. Or perhaps he was simply afraid Jeremy Clarkson would heckle him on the next series of Top Gear.

9th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

SEMA Show 2008 – Exemplifying Inspiration and Optimism

Premium, Product News

As the world reels from the effects of the global economic slowdown, many may have wondered if this would have had a negative effect on SEMA 2008’s tyres, wheels and equipment section supported by the Tire Industry Association (TIA). As it turned out, while attendance was definitely down, the quality and buying power of attendees was in line with recent shows.

“What we found is that where a buyer might have sent six or seven people in years past – many of whom were not in key decision making positions – this year, they might have only sent two or three people; but they had the authority to make those purchasing decisions,” said TIA executive vice president Roy Littlefield. While Bridgestone has not exhibited at SEMA for a number of years, with the current fiscal conditions being what they are, it was likely that this was a major factor in the decisions of a number of other key players who did not exhibit at this year’s show. While manufacturers such as Michelin and Goodyear had very little, or no, presence at all, there were plenty of other manufacturers who came out in full force, such as Pirelli, Toyo, Yokohama, Cooper, Dunlop, Sumitomo, Hankook and Falken.

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9th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

The Days of Simple Tyre Selection are Gone

Product News

A few years ago council workers, farmers and private amenity contractors had straight forward requirements. Tractors had two types of tyres, small on the front and larger at the rear. Ride-on mowers were simply attired with rubber. According to Stowmarket-based tyre and wheel supplier, Fieldens, when today’s farmer or fleet manager comes to order tyres, the list of requirements covers several pages. Earlier it was floatation or narrow tyres, today there is the requirement for speed with a high payload, but – “oh yes, we don’t want to sacrifice floatation as we must avoid damage to soil structure and ultimately plant growth.” Fieldens reports that amenity operators face a similar challenge – they need to move quickly from site to site, but then work with heavy equipment on a sensitive sports ground.

Alternatively there is the problem of kerbing and blowing out tyres of ride-on mowers. “What can you do about that – but we’d like some wider tyres at the same time so we can carry on working during bad weather like we’ve had in the past two summers?” Then there’s the spraying contractor carrying increasingly heavy loads. It’s not just the tyres that have to be up to the job but the wheels too – especially if the machine has to work across sidling ground with all the stresses and strains that brings.

9th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Alcoa Closing its Final Cast Aluminium Wheel Factory

Product News

Alcoa has announced it will completely withdraw from the passenger car cast aluminium wheel business, instead focusing its efforts in this segment upon forged aluminium wheels. This completes a trend begun some four years ago; of the four cast aluminium wheel factories operated by Alcoa, three have already been taken out of service.

7th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Reifen China Opening the Door to New Markets

Product News

Following the successful premiere event in 2007, the popular Asian region “Reifen China” exhibition was again held last December. Some 5,600 domestic and international visitors attended the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) between December 4 and 6, 2008, to gain information on the latest products, technologies and services available within the Chinese and worldwide tyre industry. While the fair attracted some two hundred fewer visitors than the 5,800 recorded the previous year, this decline of 3.5 per cent must be viewed in light of the current economic situation, particularly within the tyre industry, and should therefore be interpreted as a very positive result. “Actually I don’t at all want to speak of it as a decline,” commented Klaus Reich, director Trade Fairs and Exhibitions for the show organiser, Messe Essen GmbH, to Tyres & Accessories. The result, he said, was in the economic circumstances, “absolutely good.”

6th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

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